When the garden hands you more spinach than you know what to do with, this is the answer. A rich, savoury filling built from things you likely already have — cream cheese, eggs, good hard cheese, a splash of kefir for tang — it comes together quickly and works in almost any format you can think of. Bake it on rolls, fold it in a gozleme, tuck it into a phyllo pie, or spoon it warm into a cob loaf. The filling is the recipe.

NOT QUITE SPINACH PIE

Ingredients

• 500g+ raw English spinach (yields approx 400g once wilted and squeezed)
• 1 medium onion, finely sliced
• 1 leek, finely sliced
• 2–3 cloves garlic, crushed
• Olive oil for cooking
• 200g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 60g parmesan, finely grated
• 100g cheddar, grated, plus extra for topping
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 tbsp kefir
• Juice of half a lime
• Good grating of nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste

As Made — Baked on Bread Rolls

• 5 white bread rolls, split in half (makes 10 halves)
• Extra grated cheddar for topping
• Bagel seasoning to finish

Method

1. Roughly chop the spinach and wilt in batches in a wide frypan over medium heat. Use a pair of tongs to keep turning it and adding more as it wilts down. Tip into a colander and set aside to cool.
2. In the same pan, heat a little olive oil over low heat. Add the onion and leek and cook slowly for 8–10 minutes until soft and sweet. Do not brown. Add the garlic for the last 2 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
3. Once the spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze firmly in a clean tea towel or press into a sieve or just grab handfuls and squeeze, until very little liquid remains. Chop finely.
4. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, leek and onion mixture, really well softened cream cheese, parmesan, cheddar, beaten eggs, kefir, lime juice and nutmeg. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and taste — the filling should be well seasoned with a gentle tang.
5. Lightly toast the bread roll halves. This creates a moisture barrier and keeps the base crisp.
6. Arrange the toasted halves on a foil-lined oven tray. Spoon one generous ice cream scoop of filling onto each half and spread to the edges. Top with grated cheddar and a sprinkle of bagel seasoning.
7. Bake at 200°C on convection grill setting on the second rack from the top for 15–20 minutes, until the filling is set and the cheese is deep golden. Don’t place too high — the second rack gives you even heat without burning the top before the filling sets.

Other Ways to Use This Filling

This filling is deliberately versatile. Here are the formats that work well:

Gozleme or sandwich toaster — spread generously onto a large wrap or flatbread, fold and cook in a sandwich press or dry pan until golden and crisp.

Phyllo pie — layer buttered sheets of phyllo pastry in a baking dish, add the filling, fold the edges over and top with more phyllo. Brush with egg wash or butter and bake at 180°C until golden.

Hot dip in a cob loaf — hollow out a cob loaf, fill with the spinach mixture, top with a lot of extra cheese and bake at 180°C for 25–30 minutes until bubbling. Serve with the bread pieces for dipping.

Sweet potato paptert cases — use as a filling for individual sweet potato paptert. The earthy sweetness of the paptert case and the savoury spinach filling are a natural match.

Notes

Squeezing the spinach thoroughly is the most important step. Wet filling means soggy base, regardless of cooking method. Cool it completely before squeezing — it’s much easier to handle and you’ll get more liquid out.

Kefir adds a gentle tartness that lifts the richness of the cream cheese. Plain yoghurt works if you don’t have kefir. The lime juice is a small addition but brightens the whole filling — don’t skip it.

The filling keeps in the fridge for 3 days. The baked rolls reheat well the next day — a few minutes back under the grill or in the air fryer brings the top back to life without drying out the filling.

The premade spinach coated bread rolls halves freeze well on a tray and can then be stacked, horizontally and easily reheated as a side for some chicken or even an egg and is great as a healthy lunch on its own.

Frozen spinach works in a pinch — defrost fully and squeeze very well before using.